Editorial: West Bloomfield millage is reasonable

In what is a classic good news/bad news tandem, most of us are paying substantially lower local property taxes.

The problem is that it took a depression in housing values to bring about what otherwise might have been a desirable result. Lower tax bills may be welcome but for anyone trying to sell a house, the decline poses a challenge.

In addition, a reduced population in Michigan and high unemployment means state government collects less tax revenue. Thatís a problem if you have children in public schools.

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Take the West Bloomfield district for example. The district is spending $8,646 per student in the current school year, down from a high of $9,375 in the 2008-09 school year.

All West Bloomfield school employees took a 10 percent pay cut two years ago and Ealy Elementary School will be closed after this year, reducing operating expenses by $650,000. Custodial and transportation services have been outsourced, meaning the district does not have to set aside pension expenses for such employees.

But maintenance needs will continue for the districtís nine school buildings and money raised from bonds sold to pay for such work will be gone by May 2014. School officials do not want to dip into operating money for building work because it would have to be taken out of classroom instruction.

Therefore, the school board has opted to place a 1.5-mill request on the Nov. 6 ballot to set up a building and site sinking fund. Such mechanisms have been established in 143 districts in Michigan, including nine in Oakland County, which would collect an average of about 1.4 mills annually.

Building and site sinking fund proceeds can only be used to repair, remodel or construct buildings and sites, and it cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries.

If approved, the millage would appear on next yearís tax bills. It would last for 10 years, raising about $2.4 million annually. It would cost the owner of a $200,000 home, which would have a taxable value of $100,000, $150 a year.

A list of plans for spending the money is available on the districtís website at wbsd.org.

No one can tell residents what they can or cannot afford. They have to make that calculation themselves. But West Bloomfield school officials have endured controversy to control district spending, and the 1.5-mill request certainly appears prudent.